Lockheed's Spooky Radar

Defense giant Lockheed Martin is applying Einstein's "spooky action at a distance" to a far-out concept for a "quantum radar" that would be a (forgive the pun) quantum leap over current radar technology. The company filed a patent on the idea in Europe, according to this article in the U.K. Guardian:

The company has designed and patented a scanner based on the principle of quantum entanglement - a far out concept, even by the weird standards of the quantum world. It says the device could penetrate any type of defence, to identify hidden weapons and roadside bombs from hundreds of miles away.

Quantum entanglement says that two particles can be joined so that whatever happens to one must also happen to its partner, however far apart they are.

Einstein called it "spooky action at a distance". Lockheed Martin prefers: "Quantum radar is capable of providing information about targets that cannot be provided using classical radar systems."

European patent number EP1750145 describes "radar systems and methods using entangled quantum particles". It says such a device could "visualise useful target details through background and/or camouflaging clutter, through plasma shrouds around hypersonic air vehicles, through the layers of concealment hiding underground facilities, [and find] IEDs [improvised explosive devices], mines and other threats - all while operating from an airborne platform". It could also be mounted on a satellite.

Some physicists are already scratching their head over this, but the idea may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. The quantum radar seems to follow -- at least in theory -- in the footsteps of quantum computing, which is also still a ways away from being built. Like the theoretical quantum radar, a quantum computer would be a leap ahead because it "hold(s) the possibility of solving what computer science calls 'NP-complete' problems, the problems that are impossible or nearly impossible to calculate on a classical computer," according to this recent piece in Wired.

I looked up the Lockheed patent, which was filed last month in Europe (I couldn't find an equivalent filing here in the U.S.). The patent is probably only understandable to those of you infatuated with Schrodinger's cat, but the basic description is here:

Embodiments of systems and methods for radar systems using entangled quantum particles, referred to as quantum radar, are disclosed herein. Entangled beams allow the absorption spectrum and the resolution limit of quantum radar systems to be selected independently of one another. Thus, while classical radar systems must compromise between range and resolution, quantum radar systems can simultaneously achieve the low attenuation/high range associated with a long wave length and the high resolution associated with a short wave length.

The inventor listed on the patent is Edward Allen, who, surprise, surprise, belongs to Lockheed's super-secret R&D unit, Skunk Works.

Like in the U.S., my understanding is that European patents don't require you to be able to build a working device. In the U.S., an invention can be "prophetic," meaning you can theorize inventions not yet built. So, in the case of Lockheed, I suspect it doesn't much matter to them whether they think the quantum radar will work or not -- if it's theoretically possible, it's worth it to own the idea.

-- Sharon Weinberger